LEV800 This [verse] exhorts Jews to love non-Jews who live among them in peace. [Later, during the time of the Talmud, ger came to mean, and still does, a convert to Judaism, and many Jews therefore assume that the loving legislation in the Torah concerning the ger refers to converts to Judaism. But the context in which the Bible commands a fair and loving treatment of a ger -- often followed with the phrase "you were strangers (gerim) in the land of Egypt" (see, for example, [this and preceding verses] -- makes it clear that the reference is to equitable treatment of non-Israelites residing among Israelites. Otherwise, the verse's only possible meaning would be, "and you shall love the convert for you were converts in the land of Egypt," which suggests that the Israelites in Egypt had embraced the idolatrous religion of their masters. Rather, what the Torah was telling the Israelites is, in effect: "Treat the stranger well, for you were strangers in Egypt, and understand how hard it is to be a stranger, because you know from your own experience how badly you were treated." This recurrent biblical teaching," for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" (see also Exodus 22:20, Exodus 23:9, Deuteronomy 10:19; see page 287) seems to serve as an early adumbration of Hillel's first-century B.C.E. summary of Judaism's essence: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor" (Shabbat 31a; see A Code of Jewish Ethics, Volume 1: You Shall Be Holy, pages 10 – 11)]. Unlike the English word "stranger," which is etymologically related to "strange" and thus has a somewhat pejorative connotation, ger derives from a root meaning "to dwell among," and has a positive connotation more suggestive of residents. In addition to commanding the Israelites to love the stranger, God later and explicitly identifies Himself as One who "loves the stranger" (ve-ohev ger); Deuteronomy 10:18): "Martin Buber… noted that there is no other case of a class or persons with whom God is identified as their lover." (Ernst Simon, "The Neighbor Whom We Shall Love," In Fox, Modern Jewish Ethics, 33).

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LEV802 The Torah also gives us a specific reason why the Jew may not oppress the stranger or display any prejudice against those minorities who are different. The Torah numerous times links the commandment not to oppress the stranger [this verse; Exodus 22:20, 23:9; Deut 10:19] with the idea that you, the Jews, were also strangers in Egypt. Therefore, since you know how it feels to be a minority that is different (in language, dress, and customs) and discriminated against when you were slaves, you may not display any discrimination against anyone who is different or have prejudice against the stranger. This concept became part of the national Jewish psyche, and the Jew, based on his experience and the stress upon this mitzvah, has internalized this idea. Thus, it is no accident that it was the Jews who were at the forefront of every plight against the downtrodden, including the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and all other campaigns to defend the victims of prejudice or the weaker members of society.

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LEV801 It was taught: R. Nathan says: Do not cast up your own defects to others, as it is written: "for you were strangers" (Bava Metzia 59b)

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LEV803 (Continued from [[LEV458]] Leviticus 19:15 judgment GATES 265). Similarly, the pasuk says: [this and next verse]. "In measure" -- this refers to land measure (I.e., the method used for measuring plots of land. See Bava Basra 89b); "in weight" -- as it implies; "in volume" -- this is liquid and dry measure; "accurate weights" -- these are the balancing weights used on a scale; "eifah" --this is dry measure; "a hin"--this is liquid measure. "I am Hashem, your God, Who took you out…" -- I differentiated in Egypt between the [seminal] drop of a firstborn and that of a non-firstborn (I.e., just like Hashem differentiated who was an Egyptian first born in order to kill him, so too He will discern who is cheating and punish him), and I can be trusted to exact punishment from one who immerses his weights in salt (I.e., In order to change their weight; Rashbam and Tosafos (ibid.) in order to mislead people who are unknowledgeable in these matters.

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LEV804 Do not cheat people by using inaccurate weights and measures. Whether the item you sell is a liquid or a solid, movable property or land, do not deceive buyers even slightly by means of dishonest weights or measures. The Torah uses the term “judgment” regarding this matter because when someone counts, measures or weighs an item for sale, and on that basis declares its price, he is pronouncing judgment as to what is fair and right. If he deceives his customer through dishonest weights and measures, he is no different from a court judge who intentionally perverted justice. He shows himself to be corrupt, abominable, disgusting and deserving to be ostracized from society. Like a judge who corrupts justice, he causes five woes: he brings spiritual impurity upon the land; profanes the Name of Hashem; causes the Shechinah to withdraw; Israel falls to the sword and is exiled from its homeland. Also to emphasize the seriousness of transgression of this mitzvah, our Sages said: “The punishment for false weights and measures is worse than the punishment for forbidden relations, for the latter is between man and his Maker, while the former is between man and his fellow.”

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LEV805 Let the ethics and decency of Torah not stop at the doors of the beth midrash, the House of Study. Conduct your business in the spirit of the Torah. Remain honest, honorable, fair. The Torah commands, "You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length, weight, quantity" [this verse] Rabbi Isaac Scher, the head of the Slobodka Yeshiva, quoted Midrash Sifra that "judgment," which usually refers to the judicial process in a court of law, is used here about the business of weights and measures mentioned after it. The Torah speaks to a merchant who is measuring a yard of material: At this moment you are a judge and your action is tantamount to a legal decision. This is a case involving you and the customer. A certain amount of merchandise goes to your customer; the balance remains for you; and a sum of money changes hands. Give him thirty-five inches instead of the full yard, and you have robbed him. Charge him less than the fair price and you are cheating yourself.

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LEV806 To whom is this directed? If to a judge, it is already written (see Bava Metzia 15). It is to teach us, rather, that a merchant is called a "judge," and if he falsifies in measurement, he is called: "wrong," "hated," "revolting," "rejected," "abominable" (Torath Cohanim).

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LEV807 It is a negative commandment to do no wrong with any measures or weights for Scripture says, You shall do no wrong in mishpat, in size, in weight, or in m'surah [this verse]; and the Sages of blessed memory interpreted (Sifra, ibid.: mishpat means the system of standards; "in size, in weight" -- that nothing should be lacking from the [standard] size or weight as the people of the country have agreed upon it; and so likewise not to mislead one's fellow-man in the measurement of land. "Or in m'surah" -- the Torah was particular even about a small quantity like a m'surah, which is a thirty-sixth part of a log. If someone transgresses this, he disobeys a positive commandment (Just balances… and a just hin shall you have-- Va-yikra 19:36), and he violates this prohibition. Even if he gives a heathen a short measure or weight, he violates this, and is duty-found to return [the amount lacking]. It is forbidden to mislead a heathen in an accounting; this is included in the scope of the verse, For all ... that do wrong are an abomination to Hashem your God (D'varim 25:16). The court has a duty to appoint officials to make the rounds among the stores and shops to correct the scales, weights and measures, and to establish market prices. If someone's measures, weights or scales are not accurate, they are to take them away from him and to penalize him with a fine. If someone charges above the going prices, they are to compel him to sell at the market prices. The punishment [by Heaven] over weights and measures is more severe than a punishment for immorality; he [the guilty person] is as one who denies the exodus from Egypt.

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LEV808 [The Sages] also said (Bava Metzia 49a): "And an accurate liquid-measure' [והין צדק] means that your no [לאו] should be accurate and your yes [הן] should be accurate.'

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LEV809 Rava said: Why does Scripture mention the exodus from Egypt in connection with weights? The Holy One Blessed be He is saying [as it were]: "I am He who distinguished in Egypt between the drop of the first-born and the drop which was not of the first-born; I am He who is destined to exact payment from him who dips his weights in salt" [to make them heavier] (Bava Metzia 61b).

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